Road of a Thousand Kasbahs — Self-Launched 9-Day Morocco Loop
9 days · Morocco
Easygo Tours charges £1,385
No-markup version: ~£420 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Easygo Tours' 9-day Road of a Thousand Kasbahs loop from Marrakesh. Instead of a guided group coach, you string together Morocco's classic grand tour using CTM/Supratours coaches, shared grand taxis and a licensed local guide where it really matters (Ait Benhaddou, Marrakesh medina). You'll cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass, sleep in an oasis kasbah at Skoura, walk the Todra Gorges, ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for a night in a Berber camp, and roll back through the Draa and Ounilla valleys to Marrakesh. Same route, same highlights, roughly a third of the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Marrakesh — medina orientation
Marrakesh
Fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK) and take the public bus #19 or a petit taxi to a riad in the medina (around 20-40 MAD / £2-3.50). Settle in, then walk the lanes to Jemaa el-Fna at dusk — juice stalls, gnawa musicians and food carts. Book your onward coach ticket today either at the CTM/Supratours office on Boulevard Zerktouni or on the CTM app, and confirm your desert camp booking for Day 4.
🚌Public bus #19 or petit taxi from RAK airport, ~£3
🛏Medina riad or hostel dorm, £15-25
- →Jemaa el-Fna square at dusk
- →Medina wander and souk orientation
- →Buy CTM/Supratours coach tickets for Day 2
Marrakesh → Tizi n'Tichka → Ouarzazate → Skoura Oasis
Skoura
Take the morning CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate (roughly 4-5 hrs, 90-120 MAD / £7-10), crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m with switchbacks and Berber villages. From Ouarzazate take a shared grand taxi or local bus to Skoura (about 45 min, 30-50 MAD / £2.50-4). Check into a kasbah guesthouse in the palmery and walk out to Kasbah Amridil, the best-preserved 17th-century kasbah on the route (£2-3 entry).
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Marrakesh–Ouarzazate ~£8-10; shared taxi to Skoura ~£3
🛏Kasbah guesthouse in Skoura palmery, £18-25
- →Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
- →Kasbah Amridil guided entry
- →Skoura palm oasis walk
Skoura → Valley of Roses → Dades Valley → Todra Gorges
Todra Gorges / Tinjdad
This leg has no direct public bus, so either join a shared 4x4/van with other travellers from your Skoura guesthouse (ask the owner — commonly arranged, ~£25-35 p.p. for the day) or take the coach to Kelaat M'Gouna and piece together grand taxis. You pass the Valley of Roses at Kelaat M'Gouna, then the Dades Valley's rock formations before turning off to Tinghir and the Todra Gorges. Overnight in a small hotel or kasbah in the gorge or nearby Tinjdad.
🚌Shared 4x4/van or coach + grand taxis, ~£25-35
🛏Small gorge hotel or kasbah guesthouse, £18-28
- →Valley of Roses, Kelaat M'Gouna
- →Dades Valley viewpoints
- →Evening walk through Todra Gorges
Todra → Rissani → Merzouga: camel trek and desert camp
Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)
Get to Rissani or directly to Merzouga by shared van/grand taxi (ask your guesthouse to arrange — it's the standard way; ~£20-30 p.p.). In Merzouga, pre-book a Berber desert camp directly (many run their own websites or are bookable via Klook/GetYourGuide, £30-45 p.p. including camel trek, dinner, drumming and breakfast). Ride a camel into Erg Chebbi for sunset, sleep under the dunes in a tent.
🚌Shared van/grand taxi Todra–Merzouga ~£25; camel trek included with camp
🛏Berber desert camp, Erg Chebbi (included in camp price)
- →Rissani market stop
- →Camel ride into Erg Chebbi dunes
- →Sunset over the dunes
- →Berber camp dinner and drumming
Merzouga → Alnif → Nkob
Nkob
Camel out for sunrise and breakfast at camp, then head west. Shared transport from Merzouga to Alnif and on to Nkob (ask at your camp or the Merzouga taxi stand — this is a common backpacker hop, ~£15-25 p.p., 3-4 hrs). Nkob is a quiet village of around 45 mud-brick kasbahs in the Saghro foothills — a genuinely un-touristed stop. Dinner and night in a simple kasbah guesthouse.
🚌Shared van/taxi Merzouga–Nkob via Alnif ~£20
🛏Kasbah guesthouse, Nkob, £15-22
- →Sunrise over the dunes
- →Alnif oasis stop
- →Nkob kasbah village walk
Nkob → Draa Valley → Ouarzazate → Ait Benhaddou
Ait Benhaddou
Take shared transport or the coach route via Ouarzazate, detouring through the Draa Valley with its endless palm groves and kasbahs (£20-28 p.p.). From Ouarzazate it's a short shared grand taxi hop (about 30 min, 20-30 MAD / £2) to Ait Benhaddou. Hire a licensed local guide at the gate (200-300 MAD / £16-25 for the group, or join others to split it) for the ksar — a UNESCO site and Game of Thrones location. Stay in a guesthouse on the far bank with a view of the hilltop village.
🚌Shared transport/coach via Draa Valley and Ouarzazate ~£22; grand taxi to Ait Benhaddou ~£3
🛏Guesthouse facing Ait Benhaddou, £18-28
- →Draa Valley palm groves
- →Ouarzazate film studios (optional, £6)
- →Guided tour of Kasbah Ait Benhaddou
Ait Benhaddou → Ounilla Valley → Marrakesh
Marrakesh
Work your way down the Ounilla Valley to Telouet Kasbah, once the seat of the Glaoui clan (shared taxi or van, £15-25 p.p.; entry £2), then continue over the High Atlas back to Marrakesh via Tizi n'Tichka. Alternatively take a direct shared van or the coach from Ouarzazate (~£8-10). Check back into your Marrakesh riad or hostel for two nights.
🚌Shared van via Telouet and Tizi n'Tichka ~£20
🛏Medina riad or hostel, Marrakesh, £15-25
- →Telouet Kasbah
- →Ounilla Valley Berber villages
- →Return over High Atlas
Marrakesh — medina, palaces and gardens
Marrakesh
Full day in the red city at your own pace. Join a small-group or private medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (£15-25) covering the souks, Koutoubia, Bahia Palace (£6) and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, or just self-navigate with a map. In the afternoon hit the Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum (£13 combined) then return to Jemaa el-Fna for dinner. If you want a hammam, book a mid-range spa session (£15-30).
🚌Walking plus petit taxis, ~£5
🛏Medina riad or hostel, Marrakesh, £15-25
- →Medina and souks
- →Bahia Palace
- →Ben Youssef Madrasa
- →Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum
- →Optional hammam
Marrakesh — departure
Marrakesh
Last morning for breakfast in the medina, a final souk sweep or a rooftop coffee. Take the public bus or a petit taxi back to Marrakech Menara airport for your flight home, or extend with a few days in Essaouira or the Atlas foothills if you have time.
🚌Petit taxi or bus #19 to RAK airport, ~£3
🛏Not included (checkout day)
- →Final medina breakfast
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Easygo Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Easygo Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£420 | £1,385 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £965 per person (70%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Easygo Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£420
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Road of a Thousand Kasbahs — Self-Launched 9-Day Morocco Loop cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £420 per person for 9 days in Morocco. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Easygo Tours?+
Yes — Easygo Tours charges around £1,385 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £420 — a saving of roughly £965 (70%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Morocco.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through Morocco, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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